Simulated Driving Hones Skills For The Real Thing

December 9, 2000|By Joe Van Leer, Sentinel Correspondent

SANFORD -- Within minutes, Sanford police officers tried to drive on rain- and oil-slicked roads, veer away from careless drivers, maneuver with flat tires and screech to sudden stops. Sounds like a typical day on many Central Florida roads.

However, the officers were seated in the Sanford Police Department practicing on a Driver's Training Simulation system surrounded by five computer monitors that provided a 260-degree field of vision. They drove along a cityscape and when approaching intersections were able to look to the right and left as if seated in a patrol unit. They could also look behind them through a rearview mirror.

The course takes a half-hour and each simulated scenario about one to five minutes. There is no scoring or rating system.

"It's more of a critique for police officers to see their driving capabilities in various situations,'' said Sgt. Marc Kovacs, who as designated trainer was seated behind officers in a control station with two computers. "It's an excellent tool for officers to see where their strong and weak spots are while on the road.''

Kovacs operated the road scenarios.

"The program is geared for fairness so I'm not able to make any part of it more difficult for any officer,'' said Kovacs. "There is a downside. It's a strange feeling when everything is moving around in the simulation system but your body is stationary. That can make you feel slightly nauseous until you get used to it.''

Kovacs got a slight headache during one of his experiences.

"I felt disoriented, a minor queasiness because there is a bit of confusion, looking around an animated situation with gaps between the monitors,'' said police Officer Troy MacDonald, 38. "The vehicle also tends to slide, but the point is to create imperfect scenarios. The graphics are excellent though.''

MacDonald, who has been with the Sanford department for more than three years, avoided a couple of speeding vehicles but was hit broadside by a vehicle at an intersection.

"I was on an emergency run and looked left and right, but the vehicle came out of nowhere so fast,'' he said. "The point is that some situations are unavoidable.''

MacDonald said the program was valuable overall to strengthen safety awareness.

The simulation system is used because it would be impractical and unsafe for personnel to test live road scenarios in costly patrol vehicles.

Except for those on vacation, Kovacs said about 98 percent of the Sanford officers participated in the program last week. Some members of the Oviedo Police Department also took part.

For the week, the Sanford Police Department paid $4,500 for the simulator, which costs about $100,000 to purchase.

En-Mark Inc. of Pendleton, Ind., owns the simulator, which is usually leased for one week to police departments. The En-Mark technology, including a firetruck simulator for fire departments, has been used in 31 states, said Bette Godbey, part owner of En-Mark. She thinks Sanford is the first in Seminole County.

The system is primarily used to help improve responses of police officers and firefighters while driving in adverse or dangerous conditions.

Godbey said En-Mark representatives train police department members to operate the system.

En-Mark began in 1994, mostly with firearms training. The company also rents firearms-training systems to various agencies around the country.

Kovacs said it would be up to police administrators and city officials whether the department revisits the simulation technology.

Other police agencies in the county have expressed interest, Kovacs said.

Next stop for the simulation system will be Ormond Beach, Godbey said.